? Your Pet’s Ultrasound Appointment: What to Expect

If your veterinarian has recommended an ultrasound, you can feel confident knowing it’s a safe, painless, and non-invasive way to learn more about your pet’s health.

What is an ultrasound?

An ultrasound uses harmless sound waves to create images of your pet’s internal organs. It allows our specialists to closely evaluate your dog’s or cat’s heart and/or abdomen dynamically.

Besides visualizing the anatomy, the dynamic aspect of ultrasound imaging is one of the big differentiators between ultrasound and other imaging modalities (radiographs, CT and nuclear medicine). Ultrasound allows for a real-time assessment of organ motility and blood flow parameters making ultrasound ideal for heart evaluation, assessing abdominal blood flow and evaluating intestinal motility. The dynamic aspect of ultrasound imaging also allows for musculoskeletal imaging while visualizing a muscle or tendon.

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Why might my veterinarian recommend an ultrasound scan?

For heart evaluations, ultrasound is the primary imaging modality.

For abdominal evaluations, veterinarians are very comfortable with ultrasound because for many years it was the mainstay of abdominal imaging prior to CT becoming more common in veterinary medicine. Because veterinarians are very comfortable recommending an ultrasound scan, many use the ultrasound recommendation as a general recommendation for advanced abdominal imaging with a specialist review.

Our goal at VICSD is to work with you and your veterinarian to provide your pet with the optimal imaging for your pet’s condition. Our team of imaging specialists is very skilled in the pros and cons of ultrasound and CT imaging and because VICSD’s price for an ultrasound and CT are nearly the same, our team will always recommend the better imaging modality for your pet.     

Here is a partial list of when your veterinarian and a VICSD specialist may recommend an ultrasound instead of a CT.

When is ultrasound better than a CT?

• Heart or cardiac imaging (structure and function)
• Intestinal disease, assessing intestinal motility and most intestinal foreign bodies in dogs and cats
• Fluid filled structures (urinary bladder, gallbladder, eyes)
• Blood flow direction and velocity (heart, abdomen or peripheral vessels)
• Muscle or tendon lesions
• Superficial skin structures and thyroid/parathyroid
• Real-time needle guidance for obtaining fluid/tissue/bone samples or injections

When is ultrasound acceptable in place of a CT?

• For abdominal evaluation of very small patients (<5 kg)
• For abdominal evaluation when sedation cannot be administered to your dog or cat
• Peripheral lung lesion identification and ultrasound guided needle sampling
• Adrenal lesion evaluation (without concurrent pituitary gland evaluation)

When is CT superior to ultrasound?

• Most abdominal conditions when your pet is safe for sedation
• Presurgical evaluation of masses, particularly abdominal masses >10 cm
• Lung, bone and spinal disease

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? How to Prepare Your Pet for VICSD Imaging

Preparation depends on the type of ultrasound:

Before your appointment, please:

• Do not give your pet food for 12 hours prior (water is okay)
• Check with your veterinarian about any medications
• Contact us at (858) 634-5430 with any questions or to confirm your appointment
• If your pet is having urinary issues:
  • Try to arrive with a full bladder, as this helps with imaging

If you’re unsure how to prepare, don’t hesitate to contact us—we’re happy to help.

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Your pet’s safety is our top priority

We take every step to ensure your pet is safe and comfortable:

• Care provided by highly trained veterinary imaging professionals
• Continuous monitoring during and after the procedure
• Use of reversible sedation to minimize recovery time

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? What Happens During an Imaging Visit

We do everything we can to make your pet comfortable:

• Your pet will rest in a soft, padded holder
• Our trained technicians will provide gentle handling and lots of reassurance
• Most pets tolerate the exam very well—often with just a little TLC and calming encouragement

Important notes:

• We’ll need to shave a small area of fur to place a catheter and/or obtain ultrasound images
• Sedation is recommended for most ultrasounds and required if a CT is offered as the better imaging diagnostic,with your approval (and/or your veterinarian’s)

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⏱️ How Long Does It Take?

Most appointments include:

• A consultation and physical exam
• The ultrasound or CT procedure

? Plan for about 1 hour for the imaging. Tissue sampling, if performed, can require another 1 – 1.5 hours.

While you wait, you’re welcome to relax in our lobby, which offers:

• Complimentary snacks and drinks
• Free WiFi and TV

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? After the Ultrasound

Once the exam is complete:

• You may be asked to wait a few hours before feeding your pet
• A full report and recommendations will be sent directly to your veterinarian
• If requested, we can provide a copy of your pet’s ultrasound images

Preliminary results will be discussed with you after the study. For medical accuracy and continuity of care, consultation with your family veterinarian will be recommended to review the full results and determine next steps.

If you notice any change in your pet’s attitude, behavior or clinical signs or if your pet remains groggy for > 18 hours, contact VICSD and your regular veterinarian.

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? Trusted Expertise

Veterinarians trust our team for advanced imaging and radiology expertise. If your pet needs an ultrasound or other imaging, ask your veterinarian about a referral to our facility.

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Helping your pet get back to feeling their best

Our goal is simple:
Find answers quickly, reduce uncertainty, and help your pet return to a happy, healthy life.